Storage container stacking structure

ABSTRACT

A storage container stacking structure includes a plurality of supporting members curved in one of a variety of shapes and respectively symmetrically provided at the two opposite sidewalls of each storage container so that the supporting members of one storage container are respectively hooked on the topmost edge of each of the two opposite sidewalls of another storage container when multiple storage containers are arranged in a stack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to storage containers and morespecifically, to a storage container stacking structure, which enables anumber of storage containers to be firmly arranged in a stack.

2. Description of the Related Art

A variety of storage containers are known for keeping small items andaccessories. In order to save delivery space, storage containers aremade collapsible. There is known a collapsible storage container, whichcomprises a hollow rectangular fabric container body, four horizontaltop rods respectively fastened to the four peripheral sides of thefabric container body at the top, four horizontal bottom rodsrespectively fastened to the four peripheral sides of the fabriccontainer body at the bottom, and four vertical rods respectivelyfastened to the four angles between each two peripheral sides of thefabric container body. The horizontal top rods, horizontal bottom rodsand vertical rods of the collapsible storage container are kept awayfrom one another. Further, each peripheral side of the fabric containerbody has crossed folding lines. By means of the crossed folding lines ineach peripheral side of the fabric container body, the collapsiblestorage container can easily be collapsed into a flat condition bytwisting. However, this design does not allow a number of storagecontainers be arranged in a stack. When put two storage containers in astack, the downward pressure from the storage container at the top sidemay cause the storage container at the bottom side to collapse.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is the main object of the present invention to provide astorage container stacking structure, which enables a number ofcollapsible storage containers to be firmly arranged in a stack. It isanother object of the present invention to provide a storage containerstacking structure, which is simple and easy to made. To achieve theseand other objects of the present invention, the storage containerstacking structure comprises a plurality of supporting membersrespectively symmetrically provided at the two opposite sidewalls ofeach storage container so that the supporting members of one storagecontainer are respectively hooked on the topmost edge of each of the twoopposite sidewalls of another storage container when multiple storagecontainers are arranged in a stack. The supporting members can be madehaving a H-shaped, inwardly curved

-shaped, outwardly curved

-shaped, or S-shaped profile.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a storage container constructedaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows two storage containers arranged in a stack according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a storage container constructedaccording to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows two storage containers arranged in a stack according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a storage container constructedaccording to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows two storage containers arranged in a stack according to thethird embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a H-shaped supporting member for astorage container stacking structure according to the fourth embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing H-shaped supporting members supportedbetween storage containers according to the fourth embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a S-shaped supporting member having adownwardly arched positioning portion for a storage container stackingstructure according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing S-shaped supporting members having adownwardly arched positioning portion supported between storagecontainers according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of a S-shaped supporting member having anupwardly arched positioning portion for a storage container stackingstructure according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing S-shaped supporting members havingan upwardly arched positioning portion supported between storagecontainers according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic drawing showing flexible linking membersconnected between storage containers and the linked series of storagecontainers suspended from an overhead place.

FIG. 14 is a schematic drawing showing the folding status of one storagecontainer according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a storage container 1 in accordance with the firstembodiment of the present invention is shown having two supportingmembers 2 symmetrically extended from the two opposite upright sidewallsnear the bottom side. The supporting members 2 are preferably made ofrigid material (for example, metal wire), having a shape fitting overthe topmost edge of each of the two opposite upright sidewalls. When twostorage containers 1 are arranged in a stack, the supporting members 2of the storage container 1 at the top side are respectively capped onthe topmost edge of each of the two opposite upright sidewalls of thestorage container 1 at the bottom side, and therefore the two storagecontainers 1 are firmly held in a stack (see FIG. 2).

Referring to FIG. 2, a storage container 1 in accordance with the secondembodiment of the present invention is shown having a plurality ofsupporting members 2 symmetrically extended from the two oppositeupright sidewalls near the bottom side. The supporting members 2 have asubstantially

-shaped cross section, and are respectively downwardly extended from thetwo opposite upright sidewalls of the storage container 1, and thenturned outwards and then downwards. When two storage containers 1 arearranged in a stack, the supporting members 2 of the storage container 1at the top side are respectively hooked on the topmost edge of each ofthe two opposite upright sidewalls of the storage container 1 at thebottom side, and therefore the two storage containers 1 are firmly heldin a stack (see FIG. 4).

Referring to FIG. 5, a storage container 1 in accordance with the thirdembodiment of the present invention is shown having a plurality ofsupporting members 2 symmetrically extended from the two oppositeupright sidewalls near the bottom side. The supporting members 2 have asubstantially N-shaped cross section, and are respectively downwardlyextended from the two opposite upright sidewalls of the storagecontainer 1, and then turned inwards and then downwards below the bottomside of the storage container 1. When two storage containers 1 arearranged in a stack, the supporting members 2 of the storage container 1at the top side are respectively hooked on the topmost edge of each ofthe two opposite upright sidewalls of the storage container 1 at thebottom side, and therefore the two storage containers 1 are firmly heldin a stack (see FIG. 6).

According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, H-shaped supporting members 5 are used to support twostorage containers 1 in a stack. Each H-shaped supporting member 5 hastwo locating grooves 51 respectively formed in the top and bottom sidesfor receiving the topmost edge or bottom edge of one of the uprightsidewalls of the storage containers 1.

According to the fifth embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIGS. 9˜12, S-shaped supporting members 6 are used to support storagecontainers 1 in a stack. Each S-shaped supporting member 6 has one endfixedly fastened to one upright sidewall of one storage container 1 andthe other end terminating in an arched positioning portion 61 forhooking on the topmost edge of the corresponding upright sidewall ofanother storage container 1. The arched positioning portion 61 may curvedownwards (see FIGS. 9 and 10) or upwards (see FIGS. 11 and 12). TheS-shaped supporting members 6 which have the respective archedpositioning portions 61 curved downwards must be fastened to the uprightsidewalls of the storage containers 1 near the bottom (see FIG. 10). TheS-shaped supporting members 6 which have the respective archedpositioning portions 61 curved upwards must be fastened to the topmostedge of each upright sidewall of each of the storage containers 1 (seeFIG. 12).

According to the fifth embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, S-shaped supporting members 6 are used to supportstorage containers 1 in a stack. Each S-shaped supporting member 6 hasone end fixedly fastened to one upright sidewall of one storagecontainer 1 and the other end terminating in a downwardly curved andarched positioning portion 61 for hooking on the topmost edge of thecorresponding upright sidewall of another storage container 1.

Referring to FIG. 13, flexible linking members 7 may be used to connectstorage containers 1 in series, enabling the linked storage containers 1to be suspended from an overhead place by ropes. The flexible linkingmembers 7 each have the two distal ends respectively fastened to twostorage containers 1 by snaps 71 or other fastening devices, forexample, hook and loop materials.

The aforesaid storage containers 1 are folding collapsible. Asillustrated FIG. 14, the storage container 1 has two vertical foldinglines 11 respectively formed in the front and back sidewalls. By meansof the vertical folding lines 11, the storage container 1 canconveniently be folded into a collapsed flat condition.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

1. A storage container stacking structure comprising a plurality ofstorage containers each having two opposite sidewalls, and a pluralityof supporting members respectively symmetrically provided at the twoopposite sidewalls of each of said storage containers for supportingsaid storage containers in a stack.
 2. The storage container stackingstructure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting members arecurved for capping on the topmost edge of one of the sidewalls of one ofsaid storage container.
 3. The storage container stacking structure asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting members have a

-shaped cross section, and are respectively downwardly extended from thetwo opposite upright sidewalls of each of said storage containers andthen turned outwards and then downwards.
 4. The storage containerstacking structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supportingmembers have a

-shaped cross section, and are respectively downwardly extended from thetwo opposite upright sidewalls of each of said storage containers andthen turned inwards and then downwards below each of said storagecontainers.
 5. The storage container stacking structure as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said supporting members are H-shaped supporting memberseach having a first locating groove formed in a top side thereof forreceiving the lowest edge of one upright sidewall of one of said storagecontainers and a second locating groove formed in a bottom side thereoffor receiving the topmost edge of one upright sidewall of one of saidstorage containers.
 6. The storage container stacking structure asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting members are S-shapedsupporting members each having a downwardly curved arched positioningportion for hooking on the topmost edge of one sidewall of one of saidstorage containers.
 7. The storage container stacking structure asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting members are S-shapedsupporting members each having an upwardly curved arched positioningportion for hooking on the lowest edge of one sidewall of one of saidstorage containers.
 8. The storage container stacking structure asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting members each are comprisedof a flexible links connected between two said storage containers. 9.The storage container stacking structure as claimed in claim 8, whereinsaid flexible links each have two ends respectively fastened to two saidstorage containers by snaps.
 10. The storage container stackingstructure as claimed in claim 8, wherein said flexible links each havetwo ends respectively fastened to two said storage containers by hookand loop materials.